Waste Hero Education expands to Cambodia, Malaysia and Vietnam, October 2023

Following the success of the 1st and 2nd batches of the Waste Hero: Reduce to Zero Master Teacher Training for Indonesia and the Philippines in July 2023, the SEAMEO SEPS provided training for teachers in Cambodia on 6 October 2023 and teachers in Vietnam, and Malaysia on 7 October 2023. These sessions drew the active participation of over 800 teachers in Zoom and YouTube live stream.

Dr Song Heang Ai, Centre Director of SEAMEO TED

In collaboration with SEAMEO TED, Cambodia, the Waste Hero: Reduce to Zero Master Teacher Training for Cambodia was conducted on 6 October 2023 with the participation of approximately 220 Cambodian teachers on Zoom and YouTube. Dr Song Heang Ai, Centre Director of SEAMEO TED of Cambodia delivered a welcome message to the Cambodian secondary school teachers in the morning session, while Mr Lim Sothea, Director-General for Policy and Planning, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport of Cambodia welcomed the Cambodian primary school teachers to the afternoon session. To facilitate communication and ensure understanding, the interactive training sessions were translated from English to Cambodian language by Mr Mara Pho, Training Manager and his team.

In addition, SEAMEO SEPS partnered with SEAMEO Regional Training Centre (SEAMEO RETRAC) in Vietnam and SEAMEO Regional Centre for Education in Science and Mathematics (SEAMEO RECSAM) Malaysia to organise the Waste Hero: Reduce to Zero Master Teacher Training for Vietnam, Malaysia and other interested countries on 7 October 2023. This session attracted approximately 600 participants live on Zoom and YouTube. Ms Duriya Amatavivat, Centre Director of SEAMEO SEPS expressed her appreciation to Indorama Ventures PCL, UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office in Bangkok, Yunus Thailand Foundation, SEAOHUN, SEAMEO Secretariat, SEAMEO SEAMOLEC, SEAMEO RECSAM, SEAMEO RETRAC, and SEAMEO TED for their support in making the training sessions a success.

These Waste Hero Master Teacher Training Sessions aim to empower and enrich teachers’ understanding about the fundamentals of recycling, waste management and circular economy and guide them to Waste Hero Education Resources. The interactive training sessions were conducted by trainers and specialists from the Ministry of Education, Thailand, namely, Mr Suthon Promlee, Ms Supawan Chumi, Ms Pornpimon Tangsakul, Mrs Tirada Chysiya, and Mr Kittipon Tammahon. The trainers introduced participating teachers to the 19 free Waste Hero lesson packages; showed key aspects of waste management and circular economy; and walked through the lessons with participants so they will be able to design and prepare Waste Hero lesson activities that fully engage their students. The training sessions concluded with a special message from Mr Colm Jordan, Global Head of Advocacy and Education, Indorama Ventures PCL.